Arrested Development is coming back! Great news for fans of the cult US comedy -- and for online telly-watching, as the new episodes are financed by on-demand service Netflix.

And there's even more good news for us Brits, as Netflix will have launched over here by then.

The popular US online movie and TV service will begin streaming to the
UK early next year. For a regular fee you'll be able to stream films and
TV programmes to your computer or TV, hopefully including new episodes
of Arrested Development.

Since announcing its UK debut, Netflix and British rival LoveFilm have been scrambling to tie up films and TV. LoveFilm has signed a deal with Warner Bros for films including The Hangover and The Dark Knight, while Netflix has tied up deals with Miramax, Lionsgate and MGM.

Arrested Develoment ran for three seasons between 2003 and 2006. Produced and narrated by director and one-time Happy Days star Ron Howard, the show starred Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and a young Michael Cera as members of the dysfunctional Bluth family, thrown into disarray when the patriarch is arrested. The show won a banana stand full of Emmys but never picked up a huge audience and was cancelled by Fox five years ago.

Since then, the show has built a cult following, with rumours swirling of a possible movie or return to the small screen. Now, Netflix has confirmed it will stream new episodes in early 2013 exclusively to Netflix subscribers.

Arrested Development is just one of the many cancelled TV shows that have enjoyed a new lease of life with the arrival of the DVD box set and online streaming. While programmes such as Futurama and Southland managed to claw their way back on to the gogglebox, it seems Netflix could be the new best hope for shows that are cancelled before their time.

Which TV programmes do you think were killed off before their time? Which shows would you like to see revived? And is this an arresting development or has Netflix made a huge mistake? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below, on our Facebook page, or at Google+.

About the author

Rich Trenholm is a senior editor at CNET where he covers everything from phones to bionic implants. Based in London since 2007, he has travelled the world seeking out the latest and best consumer technology for your enjoyment.
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